The Hackler Middle School teacher appeared on a segment of the Today Show and won $33,000 to pay off her student loans.

Ifland was won of two contestants in a segment presented by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, which promoted a new game show on TruTV. The show is Paid off with Michael Torpey and airs at 9 p.m. on Tuesday nights.

Approximately 1,000 contestants entered the Today Show contest, with Ifland and Shannon Lapp of Pennsylvania selected.

"I love watching the Today Show and Hoda and Kathie Lee, and have for years. It’s my summer break, so I woke up and started watching it," she recalled. "They were advertising about this game show and to send in a minute video. I thought a minute video was easy enough, so I thought I’d give it a try."

Ifland was contacted by the Today Show on July 12 and was selected to travel to the New York studios at Rockefeller Plaza to participate on Wednesday.

“If you watch the show, you could see on my face that I just didn’t believe it.”

Stephonie Ifland

The contestants participated in a scaled down version of the show, in which Torpey conducted question and answer. Ifland was asked to choose between "Bowl or Box" or "Woof and Meow", choosing the latter category. She then had 20 seconds to answer questions identifying the famous animal as a cat or dog, but saying "Woof" or "Meow", answering eight questions correctly.

Lapp answered six questions correctly, with Ifland advancing to a final round where each correct answer would earn her cash towards paying off her student loans. The questions pertained to her major of Elementary Education, with Ifland answering six questions correctly in 60 seconds.

When Ifland finished, Torpey told her that on his show, her performance would earn her 40 percent of her loans paid off, but surprised her by announcing that TruTV and Paid off with Michael Torpey would pay off the entire debt.

"I was shocked," said Ifland. "In the official rules that I read when I applied, it said there was a grand prize winner and a winner, with the grand prize winner getting $15,000 and the winner would get $5,000. I went into to thinking that I might at least get half of it.

"Any help would’ve been great," she added. "If you watch the show, you could see on my face that I just didn’t believe it. I went into it not thinking it would happen."

Lapp was awarded $15,000 towards her debt, instead of $5,000.

Ifland felt the nerves of appearing on television, making the competition incredibly difficult.

"When (the host) asked me how much student loans I had, I could barely say $33,000," she explained. "If you watch the video and see the looks on my face, I couldn’t believe I came up with the answers that I did, because I couldn’t think. I would hear one of two words of the question, and something would just come to me. I can’t even explain it."

She was especially concerned about the math questions.

"I’m a math teacher, so you can see me thinking really hard on those," Ifland said. "I was thinking, I cannot miss the two math problems."

Ifland arrived in New York late Tuesday night after flight delays and cancellations, was at the Today Show studios by 7 a.m. and appeared on the show shortly after 9. She was on a plane home at 1:30 p.m.

Despite the whirlwind trip, Ifland was able to get a chance to meet and converse with both Hoda and Kathie Lee.

"Kathie Lee and Hoda came over to talk to us and Hoda hugged me. We got to visit with them then, and after the taping, we sat around and talked," she said. "The host of the show, Michael Torpey was really nice and personable. He’s really trying to advocate for getting student loans lowered, so he really engaged with me and the other girl that was there. He wanted to get more in depth to our story before we taped it. (Student loan debt) is an epidemic, some kids won’t even go to school because the debt they would have to take on. It was an awesome experience"

The conversation with Hoda and Kathie Lee quickly turned to fashion.

"I went over to Posh Boutique and they outfitted me head to toe. The shirt I wore was even the same one that Hoda has," Ifland said. "Kathie Lee and Hoda talked about the shirt and Hoda said she wears hers all the time."

“It’s a 12-year-old car that we’ve nicknamed the spaceship, because it’s so loud you can’t even talk while you’re riding in it. It just needs to retire.”

Stephonie Ifland

Eliminating her student debt will make a big difference in Ifland's life as she will be able to purchase a needed new car.

"In the video I submitted, I talked about how I really need a new car," she said. "It’s a 12-year-old car that we’ve nicknamed the spaceship, because it’s so loud you can’t even talk while you’re riding in it. It just needs to retire.

"I told my husband, I don’t want an extra payment. I’d rather the car just to give out to force me to get a new car, because of my student loans. They are almost equivalent to a car payment," Ifland said. "Hopefully in the near future, I can get a new car."